2012 smart fortwo Reviews and News

Our spy photographers have spotted a very early prototype of the Smart Forfour not long after catching a Fortwo mule out for testing. Although there’s still a long way to go in the new four-seater's development process, the snapshots below give us a first glimpse at what we can expect when it makes its official debut sometime in 2015.

Miss the novelty or the romance of the drive-in movie theatre? If so, then you’ll love the Smart Forstars Concept, as its party trick essentially places a drive-in theatre under your thumb.
Set to debut later this month at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the Forstars is described by Daimler’s microcar brand as a sport utility coupe, or a SUC. An unfortunate acronym, but not necessarily inaccurate – the giant wheels and tall stance scream crossover, while the glass fastback roof almost appears as if it was cribbed from the short-lived Smart Roadster Coupe.
If the overall form seems familiar, it should – much of the Forstars’ exterior is simply a mild evolution from the For-Us pickup concept Smart showcased at this year’s Detroit auto show. The protruding fascia and elongated Tridon safety cell are virtually identical to the For-Us, and the powertrain – a 60-kW electric motor cribbed from the production Smart ED model – is also carried over.
That said, the Forstars does pack a few unique cues into the mix. Headlamp eyebrows lend the front clip an angrier look, while taillamps open up to reveal both a charging port and – of all things – a beverage holder. The weirdest feature? A DLP video projector, integrated into what first appears to be a hood scoop. Smart claims it’s a “witty idea” that “enables the work of film stars to be spontaneously shared with friends at any time.” We thought smart phones and YouTube had that task down pat, but it could prove entertaining, especially when stuck behind a semi trailer in gridlock traffic.
Exactly how much of this concept is production bound? It’s really hard to tell at this point in time, but given the Forstars shares much of its elongated look with the previous For-Us concept, we’d imagine it’s a loose hint at what a revived Forfour model could look like. According to Automotive News, such a vehicle is due by 2015, and – much like the new ForTwo due in 2014 -- will ride on a platform co-developed with Renault.
Source: Smart, Automotive News (subscription required)

When a car receives a visual update, the automotive industry usually refers to the change as a facelift. Smart's European advertising team has decided to play on that linguistic choice with a bizarre new TV commercial posted to YouTube, which highlights the tweaked 2012 version of the Smart ForTwo city car.

Does a 103-hp, three-cylinder, commuter car fit in with the stereotype of a tuner vehicle? Not necessarily, but, for the last ten years, Mercedes-Benz tuning firm Brabus has worked alongside Daimler to help inject some personality into the otherwise unexciting Smart product portfolio. To celebrate that milestone, the two firms have created a special 10th anniversary model – essentially a gussied-up version of an already gussied-up ForTwo.

Smart is launching a special edition of the ForTwo in Europe, and a slightly tweaked version of the car will make its way to the U.S. later this year. Called the Edition Iceshine, the two-door Smart wears unique paint and interior components meant to help it stand out from normal models.

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